Orange Facts
Orange Facts You Might Like to Know
You can learn something about our most profitable fruit with these orange facts.
• Little-known orange facts: The first frozen orange juice made from concentrate was made in 1930. Borden made it, and it was less than successful, having a watered-down taste. We wouldn't have a true orange juice from concentrate that tasted like fresh squeezed juice until 1946.
• Christopher Columbus brought orange seeds here when he landed in “the New World”. Tropicana built a tanker ship to transport bulk orange juice, in 1957. The leading orange-producing nation is Brazil, but in the United States, the orange is still our biggest money fruit crop.
• Oranges are known to most people to be a significant source of vitamin C. In fact, for most Americans, oranges are where they get most of their vitamin C. In addition to this, oranges also contain calcium, niacin, potassium and magnesium.
• Orange facts confirm that if you eat the whole fruit, instead of drinking orange juice, you get slightly less vitamin C, but still over 100% of your RDA. And you get fiber, which you don't get in juice.
• All different varieties of oranges should be firm, and the skin should be smooth. The skin should be bright and appealing. A little green is OK – Florida oranges often have more green in their skins due to their warmer summer nights.
• The number one orange-producing state is Florida, which produces about seventy percent of the U.S. orange crop. Most of these oranges go into juice.
• You can store oranges at room temperature and they do just fine. They can also be stored in a refrigerator. Once the orange is picked, it will not ripen any more. Orange juice can be frozen, but oranges themselves should never be frozen.
• Orange facts point out several different types of oranges; the first are sweet oranges, which is the type that the United States grows. There are also sour oranges, which are grown mostly in Spain. These are used for liqueurs and marmalades. The third type is the mandarin orange, also called a tangerine.
• How can you make oranges a part of your healthy diet? Orange facts say:
• Drink a glass of OJ for breakfast, or eat an orange instead of a grapefruit half.
• Blend orange juice with other juices, fruits or yogurt to make a tasty fruit smoothie.
• Add a few teaspoons of OJ to your fruit cup to enhance its flavor.
• Use sliced oranges as a healthy snack instead of chips or cookies.
• Use orange rind, also known as 'zest', for garnishing and adding flavor to recipes you like.
• Carry an orange – facts say they make a quick and healthy snack.
• You can pour orange juice over other fruits to stop them from turning brown.
• Oranges have lots of vitamin C, and they are a great snack anytime.